LOS ANGELES (June 13, 2025) — Ahead of the 250th birthday of the Army Corps of Engineers on June 16, advocates from Defend Ballona Wetlands and In Defense of Animals rallied at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in downtown Los Angeles to deliver a giant thank you card. On May 22, International Day for Biological Diversity and during American Wetlands Month, the event recognized the Corps for rejecting flawed flood data that was being used to justify a destructive plan to bulldoze Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve, and repair failing fossil fuel infrastructure within. 

The Army Corps insisted on accurate flood risk standards to protect the public, effectively forcing state developers to revise or abandon their proposal. A representative accepted the giant thank you card during the rally. Speakers included Marcia Hanscom, Community Organizer for Defend Ballona Wetlands, Robert J. van de Hoek, Environmental Scientist, and Lisa Levinson, Campaigns Director for In Defense of Animals.

Ballona Wetlands is one of the last remaining coastal wetlands in Los Angeles County. It’s a rare refuge for hundreds of animal and plant species, including several federally endangered species like the least Bell’s vireo, which rely on the reserve.  

A high-profile campaign to save this critical habitat has been endorsed by celebrity advocates including James Cromwell and Genesis Butler.

“We are so grateful to the Army Corps of Engineers, for standing strong in favor of the public interest - making sure our communities surrounding the Ballona Wetlands are safe from increased flood risk that this misguided project would bring if it is ever constructed,” stated Marcia Hanscom, Community Organizer for Defend Ballona Wetlands.

“The Army Corps of Engineers learned a lesson from Hurricane Katrina, and they now insist fully that their infrastructure, such as the levee walls of Ballona Creek must stay strong. In the process, the Army Corps also protected the federally endangered least Bell’s Vireo, a migratory songbird, which has been nesting in vegetation on those levee walls. That’s why we chose International Day for Biological Diversity to say ‘thank you!’ to the Army Corps of Engineers,” explained Robert J. van de Hoek, Environmental Scientist for the coalition.

While the Army Corps’ intervention halted the most dangerous parts of the proposed plan, the site remains at risk of being destroyed. 

California Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced plans to release a revised Environmental Impact Report later this year, after a California Superior Court ordered the previous version to be decertified, due in part to reliance on erroneous flood standards. While this harmful bulldozing project was put on hold by the court, the fossil fuel industry continues expanding operations piecemeal at the reserve — despite legal and environmental concerns. 

“We’re so fortunate to have a functioning wetlands in the heart of Los Angeles,” said Lisa Levinson, Campaigns Director for In Defense of Animals. “We thank the Army Corps of Engineers for responding to letters from our supporters in favor of protecting Ballona Wetlands — since 2020, nearly 40,000 people have called for Ballona Wetlands to be protected. Today, we celebrate this powerful victory. But despite the army stepping in to win this battle, the war continues. We reaffirm our commitment to fighting to preserve this essential habitat for thousands of animals who are also Angelenos, just like the rest of us.” 

The Ballona Wetlands is part of the Pacific Flyway, an essential corridor for migratory birds and refuge for thousands of wild animals. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife project would decimate essential habitat for numerous endangered and rare species, including the federally endangered least Bell’s vireo, proposed endangered monarch butterfly, and threatened and declining western burrowing owl.

Hanscom added, “federal recovery teams have only just helped bring back to health some of the beautiful songbirds who have expanded their range and returned to nest at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Several other endangered and rare species rely on Ballona, some of which have been elevated to more sensitive status this past year: the monarch butterfly and western burrowing owl.” 

Scientists are currently assessing updated statuses for several species, including potential elevation under the Endangered Species Act.

Members of the public are encouraged to join the event and bring home-made celebratory signs. Some signs will be provided. Concerned citizens can also take action online to stop the proposed bulldozing project and support a gentle restoration instead: www.idausa.org/saveballona

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Contacts:

Lisa Levinson, In Defense of Animals, lisa@idausa.org, (215) 620-2130

Marcia Hanscom, Defend Ballona Wetlands, defendballonawetlands@gmail.com , (310) 877-2634

Images: https://bit.ly/BallonaGenPix

Species at stake: Ballona Wetlands is critical habitat for:

• Least Bell’s vireo (federally endangered)
• Monarch butterfly (proposed endangered)
• Western burrowing owl (threatened and declining)
• Dozens of migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway

May is American Wetlands Month, created in 1991 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the nation’s ecological, economic, and social health. 

About Defend Ballona Wetlands

Defend Ballona Wetlands is a coalition of 38 environmental and animal advocacy groups that collaborate to protect the Ballona Wetlands, especially focused on the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve from destruction by developers and fossil fuel interests via education, litigation, and public testimony at stakeholder meetings. Learn more at www.defendballonawetlands.org.

About In Defense of Animals

In Defense of Animals is an international animal rescue and protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a history of defending animals, people, and the environment through education and campaigns, as well as hands-on rescue facilities in India, South Korea, rural Mississippi and California, since 1983. www.idausa.org/wildanimals

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